


Maggie and Wentworth: Parents Of The Year

by Aestheticdenbrough



Category: IT (1990), IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Angst, Ares - Freeform, Fluff, Gen, bill sneaks to richie's when he has nightm, good parents, maggie and went are great
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-06-23 11:35:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15605409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aestheticdenbrough/pseuds/Aestheticdenbrough
Summary: Bill secretly sneaks to the Tozier's for comfort when he has bad nights. Richie and Bill think that Maggie and Wentworth don't notice, but they surprise them with their support.





	Maggie and Wentworth: Parents Of The Year

They don't think that Maggie and Wentworth notice the nights when fourteen year old Bill Denbrough stumbles in through their son's window. _Heavy sleepers_ , Richie would say. But in reality, Maggie heard the often quiet sobbing down the hall that was recognizable not as her son but as his best friend, Bill. 

They think Wentworth didn't notice but on the nights of crying Richie always brought his breakfast to his room, and almost always came back for seconds, _he doesn't do that usually._

Now, Maggie and Wentworth hear Richie's window open despite it being a breezy October night and they exchange knowing glances. They hear hushed talking but the walls obscure the words. _Do we check on them this time?_ Went asks Maggie through a simple look. 

_Let them sleep. Sounds bad this time_ , she returns with a small frown tugging at her lips. _It's always bad. They've never asked for our help though_ , she thinks with a sigh as she turns over in bed with her book, spending late nights reading due to her little time to read during the day.

The next morning Richie comes to the kitchen looking exhausted, rubbing his eyes to wake himself. There's a wrinkle on the back of his shirt that makes it obvious that someone had been gripping it tightly with clammy hands. Maggie smiles softly at him, a small piece of her being incredibly proud of him for being such a good friend but another part of her heart just aches for the both of them.

Richie slides into a seat across from his father, Maggie putting a plate of scrambled eggs in front of him. "Morning, tired?" She asks him, not knowing how to talk to him about this, though she eventually will have to.

"Nah, ma! I mean maybe- playing too many video games, ya'know?" He explains, trying to keep the secret under wraps, his main concern being Bill getting in trouble if any adults know, which is why nobody is supposed to know.

Maggie takes the answer regrettably, not having the heart to dismantle the lie that he believes is going unknown. She gives Wentworth a desperate look to communicate this, just to be sure that he understands and does the same. "Eat up then, gotta stay strong," she says softly, ruffling his hair despite the greasiness.

Richie nods, offering his parents his crooked smile despite the exhaustion lining his eyes. He digs in to his breakfast as he's told, telling a joke here and there in between bites, playing the part of himself, but hungrier than usual, the same as he always does when Bill shows up late in the night.

Richie finishes the first plate, always shocking his parents when he does, seeing as he's an absolute twig, though he is determined to help his friend; that much is obvious. "More?" He asks, showing his mother his plate, practically licked clean.

Maggie sighs, going along with the act, serving more to him wordlessly before pulling him into a hug that even surprises herself, "You're a good kid," she says quietly, pulling away, getting near to being emotional all of a sudden.

Richie gives her a concerned but perplexed look, considering himself much, much too clever for the possibility of knowing that Bill's in his room after a night of tossing and turning with night terrors. "Thank you, I'm gonna take it to my room, if you don't mind," he says, taking a clean fork and tipping Maggie and Went an imaginary hat.

Maggie sighs, sitting in the chair, wobbling slightly as the legs have been worn uneven over the years. She looks across the table, reaching over to grab the yellow mug with her coffee. 

She sips at the steaming mug, blinking slowly as she thinks about the situation. _I just don't want to hurt them_. She knows she has to make a decision.

She stands up, slipping out of the chair and holding the mug in her hand, filling her with warmth. She puts her free hand on Wentworth's shoulder, "I think I'm going to check on them," she says quietly, having finally made up her mind to do so. 

Went creases his eyebrows in a faint worry, putting his phone down. He'd been reading the news, but this is news to him. Maggie has always since been too anxious to confront the situation. "You sure, Mags?" He asks, adjusting his glasses, like father like son.

"Yeah, I think it needs to be done, that kid probably needs some help," she whispers, looking behind her as if Bill or Richie are bound to show up behind her any minute and take her statements the wrong way even through her gentle tone.

Went offers a tight lipped smile, letting his eyes soften at the sight of his worried wife. "Just be careful, don't want to scare him off, he's running away for a reason," he hums, chewing the inside of his lip discreetly.

Maggie nods in agreement. "Yeah. I'll be back," she promises, squeezing his shoulder before making sure her shirt was laying right and that her back way straight, empowering herself into the courage she needs.

She raps the door lightly with the knuckles of her free hand, "Richie? Can I come in?" She calls as she grasps her hand around the knob before turning it despite Richie not answering.

Bill sits for a moment looking shocked and dumbfounded, his mouth hanging open and looking ready to bolt, a true deer in the headlights.

Maggie tries (and fails) to act surprised at the sight. "Bill? What are you doing here so early?" She asks as if she hasn't known he's been here all night.

"Joining Richie for y-your lovely c-cooking, Mrs. T-tozier," he says, voice shaking in a way he hopes he can somehow blame on his stutter. 

"You boys need anything? Clean clothes? A toothbrush?" She asks, her attempt at being discreet. She looks at Bill as she speaks though, and the offer is genuine.

He just nods. He knows he can trust her, especially after all these years of friendship with Richie. "I h-have a bag," he says quietly, eyeing his sleepover bag that he always keeps on hand for nights like the one before.

"I can run them through the wash if you'd like," she offers as Bill stands to get it, he only replies simply by nodding gratefully.

"Th-thank you, Mrs. T-tozier," he says sheepishly.

"Call me Maggie," she tells him as she takes the bag, smirking slightly at Richie when she sees how embarrassed that statement makes her son.


End file.
